Snow plow hydraulics for tractor - questions

[sdboers]

Hey folks,
I know it's likely been covered many times before - but I'm clearly searching for the wrong terms... I'm looking for information on hooking up snow plow hydraulics (single action cylinders) to the front of my tractor. I've got three scenarios I'm considering from cheapest and most manual, to most expensive and most convenient. Not sure if I've got this right, so any information would be appreciated.

The old truck plow I'm going to weld up to a SSQA plate has two single acting cylinders - one on each side of the A-frame.

Option 1) For a fully manual - and virtually free solution - I'm wondering if I can simply connect the two hoses together on the two single action cylinders? Pushing the blade one way would dump fluid from one cylinder to the other cylinder. Uncoupling the two hoses would then lock the blade in that position as the fluid has nowhere to go. Am I crazy - or would this work?

Option 2) Steal the curl function of the bucket to control the blade angle. Not ideal, but if I get the blade set right and then disconnect the curl (and cap it off) - it shouldn't move again for the rest of the winter (right?). If I tap into the lines before it splits to the left and right cylinders for the bucket - do I then simply connect one line to each of the single acting cylinders on the plow? Someone suggested I would first need to run the lines through a crossover relief valve. Thoughts?

Option 3) My tractor has power-beyond on the joystick controller for the loader. I could tack on an additional open center DCV and run a new set of lines to the plow. Similar question to the option above on the crossover relief valve.

I'm favoring option 1 for this year (if it works), and then option 3 for next year when I have more time (and cash!).

Sean.

 

[LouNY]

Option 1 would work,
option 2 would kind of work,
option 3 is the best.
Do you have a rear remote available? if so a pair of hoses, connectors and your good.

If you are content to manually angle the blade most of them had pin holes for manual blade angle adjustment.
If you use hydraulics a cross over relief protects the system.

Two single acting cylinder can be run of a two way valve easily, one base line to each each output.

 

[sdboers]

LouNY - thanks for the response.

I do have a rear remote - but that function is used by my hydraulic top link. I run a blower on the back of the tractor and it's quite convenient to adjust the tilt of that to dig a little deeper or ride a little higher.

If option 1 will work - I might just do that this year. In fact - I could simply put a ball valve between the two lines to avoid connecting and disconnecting.

Option 3 is absolutely the best option and opens other doors as well. Grapple control or whatever... I'll probably plan that in for next year.

The crossover relief - the way it was explained to me was that if I clipped a tree with one end of the blade, it would allow the cylinder to compress (expel fluid) intead of bend or break. That about how it works?

Sean.

 

[LouNY]

Yes, the crossover relief will allow fluid to pas thru reducing the effect of snagging an object, tree or rock with the leading edge of the blade.
you could also split your rear valve,

1/2" NPT 2 GPM Double Selector Valve | Selector Valves | Hydraulic Valves | Hydraulics | www.surpluscenter.com

It is heading for the time for this stuff to be ready, unfortunately

 

[sdboers]

I had thought about adding a splitter / selector (option 4), but found the cost was almost the same as just adding a whole DCV to the power beyond port. So I scrapped it.

Yeah... Summer is on the way out. Fall is a blip. Then 18 months of winter...

Sean.

 

[KubotainNH]

Option 3 is of course the best. I'd hate to lose the curl function and it is really nice to be able to tip the blade when stacking snow and pushing banks back. Not sure what option 1 would do if air is in the system, I would think it may angle side to side as you bump into resistance. You could easily remove the cylinder on one side and make an adjustable piece out of pipe that fits into each other with some holes drilled in key spots. If worried about breaking it then use a soft bolt that will shear. Keep us posted on what you do, we love pics.

Curious, what brand of plow blade are you using? I'm partial to the trip action of Fisher.

 

[sdboers]

Hey there - I'm pretty sure the blade is a Fisher. It's old and very very used with no markings. It's an edge trip that compresses the springs on the back - as opposed to a full blade trip that stretches the springs.

Below is what I'm thinking I'll weld up. The yellow part already exists on the back of the blade. The rest is the a-frame to quick attach plate I'll put together. I didn't draw the hydraulics. Thoughts?

 

[LouNY]

It seems that the people that have the best results are under slinging the framework to keep it as short as possible and using a chain for the top support so the blade can float, I have a commercial blade built similar to your design and I have to carry the loader and let the blade float on what little slop it has.

 

[LouNY]

View attachment IMG_20171108_144907215.jpg
In these pics you can see how far out from the tractor the blade sits.
With it so far forward any up or down movement of the front tires really translates to a lot of blade movement.

 

[dstig1]

Here was my snowplow build that may help you:
https://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/snow-removal/254357-ssqa-fel-snowplow-build.html?highlight=snow

All I can say is do NOT hard mount it to the FEL and think you are going to successfully float the FEL to float the blade. there is too much weight on it, so it catches and raises your front wheels off the ground a lot. It just does not work. The best way is to hang the blade from a chain like the truck plows do, and then you are just floating the blade.

I used a diverter, which worked quite well. Plumbed it into the curl/dump circuit, so I can either curl or use the third function at any one time.